Now don't all get excited.
I have just received the latest press release from Dialog entitled
"Dialog Announces New Pricing Initiatives" but subtitled "DialUnits
Revisions and Connect Time Pricing Introduced".
According to the press release, there will be a series of "new pricing
initiatives" over the next two years across Dialog, Profound and
DataStar.
The first is a revision to DialUnits "to create a more simplified
measure of search activity and greater consistency across different
Dialog interfaces. By October 2001, variability of DialUnits pricing
will be virtually eliminated, allowing for significantly enhanced
predictability of Dialog pricing.". Well, at least we should now be
able to guess^H^H^H^H^H calculate more accurately what a search is
likely to cost.
But I must admit to being completely gobsmacked by the
2nd "initiative": the launching of Connect Time! [shurly some mistake
many a newsletter and magazine editor will be thinking]. Apparently
the return of connect time has been requested by many customers and
will be an alternative pricing to DialUnits. [Oh ye Gods - yet more
calculations to work out the cheapest way to search!!!]
The third initiative is "Simplifying Contracts" and these will start
appearing next month.
Overall, though, it is promising that Thomson obviously agree that
there is a problem with the pricing structures of the three Dialog
products. Hopefully we really will see some simplification and
sensible alternative pricing options over the coming months.
The full press release can be found in the Dialog press room at:
http://www.dialog.com/info/corporate/pressroom/
Karen
-------------------------
Karen Blakeman, RBA Information Services
88 Star Road, Caversham, Berks RG4 5BE, UK
Tel:+44 118 947 2256, Mobile: +44 7860 785716
Fax:+44 870 056 8547
Mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.rba.co.uk/
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